Ice cube manufacturing apparatus



A. D. SMITH ICE ,CUBE MANUFACTURING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 12, 1944 July 2, 19.46.

4 'Sheets-Shet 3 July 2, 1946. A. D. SMITH ICE CUBE MANUFACTURING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 12, 1944 July 2, 1946. A. D.v SMITH ICE CUBE MANUFACTURING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 12, 1944 4 Sheets-Shea?, 4

APaieiceri July `2, i946 2,403,406.

UNITED STATES Y PATENT oFFIcE ICE CUBE MANUFACTURING APPARATUS yArthur D. Smith, Canton, Gillo, assignor to Barium Steel Corporation, Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application september i2, rm, serias No. 553,735

. during the sawing operation.

In spite of the premium price which this cube ice commands there is a rapidly growing demand for the same not only by commercial users but for domestic use as well, and itis believed that if cube ice could be produced economically it would eventually replace practically all block ice.

It is known that; attempts have been made to l produce machines for making cube ice, but there Y are certain objections and disadvantages in the construction and operation of -such machines which `make them commercially and economically impractical.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to produce an apparatus for economically freezing ice cubes. in large quantities. l

Another object is the provision of such an apparatus provided with means for automatically discharging the ice cubes from the machine.

Still another object is the provision of a -ma. chine which requires a minimum of refrigerantv and brine for freezing ice cubes.

'A further object is to produce an ice cube machine of relatively simple, inexpensive and durable construction which will produce a large number of ice cubes and at a minimum cost.

Another object isto provide a machine having means for preventing ice from forming between the individual cubemolds.

Still another object is the provision of a machine including a drum having individual cube molds around its periphery, said drum beingl rtatable within a stationary cylinder containing water for freezing, a stationary cylinder being located within the rotatable drum, the space between said inner cylinder and the interior of the drum receiving brine lfor freezing Athe cubes within the cube molds, a substantially half circular chamber being formed within the lower side of the inner cylinder through which refrigerant is passed for cooling the brine.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawings and following description. or which mav be later referred inn machine taken substantially on the line 2 2, Fig.

1, but showing certain driving gears on the outside of the housing;

Fig. 3 an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the normally stationary cylindric water jacket, the rotatable drum therein and the evaporator within the drum, taken as on the line 3 3, Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 a transverse sectional view taken as on the line 4 4, Fig. '3 and Fig. 5 an enlarged detail sectional view through some of the ice cube molds on the rotatable drum.

The machine may be housed within a cabinet I0 formed of heat and cold insulation material and preferably having the half round tofp portion II- which may be detachable in order to provide access to the interior thereof for removing, re-

pairing or replacing the mechanism therein.

' be later described.

Located longitudinally through the cabinet I0. preferably at the point of separation of the cabinet and the half round top II thereof, is a stationary hollow shaft I4, opposite ends of which are mounted within the cylindric anges I5 of the supporting brackets I6 which are attached to the end walls of the cabinet as by bolts I1 located through the U-shape supports I8 embedded within the end walls of the cabinet. Set screws I9 may be provided in the cylindric flanges I5 of the supporting brackets, for attaching the hollow shaft I4 therein.

A bearing 20 is rotatably mountedfupon each end portion of the hollow shaft I4, said bearing being located through suitable apertures 2l in the end walls of the cabinet. A bronze bushing 22 is located Within the inner end .portion of each of the bearings 2l and a stuiiing box 23 is provided `at the outer end ,portion of each bracket adjusted as by the bolts 24.

A hollow rotatable drum, comprising insulated hande 2E sind n .chaplmntnl nvlndpr 9G vn niopposite ends to said heads, is attached to the bearings 2li as by the bolts 21 located through the insulated heads 25 and through the flanges 28 formed at the inner ends of the bearings 28.

A multiplicity of individual ice cube molds 29, which may be Isquare, round or of other cross sectional shape and preferably tapered as shown in the drawings, are formed entirely around the sheet metal cylinder 26 of the drum, each of said molds being of suitable size and shape to produce one ice cube.

A cylindric water jacket 36 surrounds the drum- 26, and the end walls 3| of the water jacket are provided with openings 32 of slightly greater diameter than the bearings 28 which are received through said openings, rollers 33 being provided for supporting the water jacket within the cabinet. f l

A gear segment 34 is fixed upon the water jacket and meshes with a pinion 35 for rotating the water jacket upon its axis in a manner to be hereinafter 'described An opening 36 ls formed in the water jacket and arranged to register with the doors I2 in the upper portion of the cabinet when the water jacket isA in the normal, stationary position it assumes during the freezing operation.

An evaporator is located within the rotating drum and is so` constructed that it will require a minimum of refrigerant and brine. This evaporator is in the form of -a stationary sheet metal cylinder 31 mounted upon the stationary hollow shaft I'4 and being of a diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of the rotating drum .26, so

that theperiphery of the evaporator cylinder 31 is closely adjacent to the inner ends of the ice cube molds 29.

- A substantially half cylindric sheet metal wall 38 is mounted within the lower half of the evaporator cylinder 31 forming a substantially crescent shaped evaporator chamber 39 in the lower portion of the evaporator cylinder.

Freon or other suitable refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator chamber 39 by means of a refrigerant supply pipe 40 leading from a compressor 54 and located through the stationary hollow shaft I4 and then extending downward to the lower portion of the evaporator chamber 39. A

suction gas line communicates with the upper portion of the evaporator chamber 39 and is located through the stationary hollow shaft I4 and leads-back to the compressor. f

The space between the interior of the rotating drum 26 and the evaporator cylinder 31 forms a brine chamber 42 to which brine is supplied from a suitable source of supply by means of a brine supply pipe 43 located through the stationary hollow shaft I4 and then extending into the brine chamber 42 at a point above the stationary hollow shaftbetween one head 25 of the rotating drum and the adjacent head of the evaporator cylinder 31. A brine -return line 44 leads from the other side of the brine chamber 42 at a point below the stationary hollow shaft I4 and is extended through said shaft back to the source of supply.

A perforate, oppositely inclined ice chute 45 is located beneath the water jacket cylinder 30 and above the water drain basin 46 which is located just above the sliding drawer I3, a drain-pipe 41 leading from the lower portion of said basin to any suitable point outside the cabinet.

A gear wheel 48 is fixed upon one of the bearings 26 of the rotating drum and meshes with an idler gear 49 which in turn meshes with the pinion 56 upon the speed reducer 5I which is driven by the motor 52 located within the hous-4 `ing 63 within which the compressor 54 may also be located.

In the operation of the machine to produce ice cubes the parts are positioned as shown in the drawingsand Freon or other refrigerant may be admitted to the evaporator chamber 39 to substantially the level 55 and brine is admitted to the brine chamber 42 to the level 56.

Water is placed in the water jacket 30 Ato about the level 51 and the motor is operated to rotate the drum 26 continuously, the molds at the lower side of the drum being submerged in the water. The cold brine in the brine chamber 42, which is cooled by the Freon or'other refrigerant in.the

evaporator chamber 39, surrounds the exteriors of 4all of the ice cube molds on the lower side of the drum and as the operation continues ice is built up upon the inner walls of each ice cube mold until each of the molds is filled with a cube of ice. 1

The heat and cold insulation 58 around the outer edges of each ice cube mold 29 at the open ends thereof prevents ice from forming at these points so that all of the frozen cubes of ice will separate from each other.

When the freezing operation has been completed the compressor may be stopped so that refrigerant in chamber 39 ceases to evaporate and a little warm brine orlother warm liquid may be added to the brine chamber, and as the drum is again rotated this warm liquid contacting the exterior surfaces of all of the ice cube molds, will quickly release the cubes of ice therefrom.

'I'he hand wheel 59, upon the shaft of the pinion 35, may then be operated so that the pinion, through the gear segment 34, will rotate the norl mally stationary water jacket 30 until the opening 36 i-n the water jacket will be located at the bottom of the water jacket permitting the Water to drain therefrom through the perforate ice chute 45 and into the'water drain basin 46 from which it is withdrawn by the drain pipe 41, while the cubes which have been loosened by the action of the warm liquid will pass through the opening 36 in the water jacket and onto the perforated chute 45 which will convey them to the sliding drawer I 3.

From the above it will be evident that a simple, inexpensive and easily operated machine is provided for producing ice cubes in large quantities with the use of a minimum of refrigerant and brine and in such manner that the cubes are formed with no ice formed on the outer edges of the ice cube molds thus preventing waste in thawing and releasing. the cubes.

An important feature of the invention is the insulation indicated at 58 around the open outer edges of the ice cube molds. This insulation is of desired thickness so that ice cubes or rolls, will be formed of uniform shape and that in forming the ice will not form over the edges of the molds in mushroom shape, as such condition makes the cubes hard to get out of the molds and materially affects the thawing or defrosting.

Attention is also called to the fact that agitation of the brine and the water by rotation of the drum carrying the molds facilitates the freezing action. The continuous movement of the molds upon the drum through the water acts to continuously agitate the water with the result that no minute air bubbles are contained within the thin lms of water successively picked up by each mold. Accordingly, cloudy ice is avoided and clear ice is formed within the molds, eliminating the neces- `atomes sity of using other equipment for removing the entrained air from the water being frozen, as is necessary in the common practice of making ice.

Moreover, as impurities disolved in waterl lower its freezing point, the thin film of ice formed in each mold during that part of its revolution when above the water is washed by the water on its immersion during the balance of the revolution and the impurities rejected to the surface of the lm are washed oi and concentrate in the water. When the impurities become so concentrated in the water as to exceed their solubilities the excess impurities precipitate to the bottom of the waterl chamber.

This is a distinct advantage over the old practice of agitating the water by a pump, as this `does not produce agitation when the molds are upside down and moving slowly, at which time the water in the bottom portions of the molds is not sufficiently agitated to produce clear ice. In the present machine it is contemplated rotating at a point outside of the ice making machine and the drum about 8` R. P. M. thus producing conto continuously circulate the cooled brine ,around i the molds. The other method is to circulate the refrigerant, such as Freon, continuously 2,around the molds. 4

,'I'he rst method takes up considerably more room',v isan added expense because of running the pumps continuouslyf, requires a larger volume of brine and is subject to heat losses.

The second'method is practical for large ice machines making considerable quantities of ice in largeblocks but would not be practical in an ice cube machine because of defrosting defects. To withdraw the refrigerant and admit hot gases to the evaporator chamber would not be practical as the hot gases coming into the cold chamber would condense and liqulfy so quickly that they would not have the desired effect in thawing the ice cubes, and in order to properly thaw it would be necessary to reverse the cycle of compression.. s y

In the operation 'of the present machine only a relatively small, fixed amount of brine is used v in the brine chamber between the evaporator the operation of the compressor so that refrigerant in the evaporator chamber ceases to evaporate, and to add a small amount of 'warm brine to the brine chamber which will quickly raise the temperature of the molds suiciently to thaw the ice cubes so that they will-be released therefrom.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for freezingice cubes, comprising a water jacket for containing water to be frozen, a hollow drum rotatable within said water jacket, ice cube molds arranged in the periphery of the drum, an evaporator comprising a cylinder located within the drum and forming a brine chamber between the exterior of said cylinder and the interior of the drum, an evaporator chamber formed in the lower portion of said cylinder, means for introducing a refrigerant fluid into the refrigerant chamber, means for introducing brine into the brine chamber and means for rotating the drum.

2. An apparatus for freezing ice cubes, comprising a water jacket for containing water to be jacket, ice cube molds arranged in the periphery o f the drum, an evaporator comprising a cylinder located within the drum and forming a brine chamber between the exterior of said cylinder and the interior of the drum, an evaporator chamber formed in the lower portion of said cylinder. means for introducing a refrigerant fluid into the refrigerant chamber, means for introducing brine into the brine chamber and means for rotating the drum, there being an opening in the upper portion of the water jacket and means for rotating the water jacket upon its axis to position said opening at the bottom of the water jacket to discharge the ice cubes therefrom.

3. An apparatus for freezing ice cubes, comprising a water jacket for containing water to be frozen, a hollow drum rotatable within said Water jacket,vv ice cube molds arranged in the periphery of the drum, an evaporator vcomprising a cylinder located within the drum and forming a brine chamber between the exterior of said cylinder and -the interior of the drum, an evaporator chamber formed in the lower portion of said cylinder, means for introducing a refrigerant fluid into the refrigerant chamber, means for introducing brine Jinto the brine chamber and means for rotating the drum, there being an opening in the upper portion of the watery jacket and means for rotating the water jacket upon its axis to position said opening at the bottom of the water jacket to discharge the ice cubes therefrom, a perforate chute `below the water jacket and a water drain basin vbelow said chute.

. 4. An apparatus for freezing ice cubes, comprising a .water jacket for containing Water to be frozen, a hollow drum rotatable within said water jacket, ice cube molds arranged in the periphery of the drum, an evaporator comprising a cylinderI located within the drum and forming a brine chamber between the exterior of said cylinder andthe interior of the drum, a crescent shaped evaporator chamber formed in the lower portion of said cylinder, means for introducing a refrigerant fluid into the refrigerant chamber, means for introducing brine into the brine cham..

ber and means for rotating the drum.

5. An apparatus for freezing ice cubes, comprising a stationary hollow shaft, a cylindric noi' mally stationary water jacket surrounding said shaft, a drum rotatably mounted upon the shaft within said water jacket, ice cube molds arranged in the periphery ofthe drum, an evaporator cyl..

inder iixed upon the shaft within the rotatable drum and forming a brine chamber between the exterior of the cylinder andthe interior of the drum, a half cylindric wall located in the lower portion of the evaporator cylinder forming a crescent shaped evaporator chamber within the lower portion of the cylinder, a refrigerant supply pipe located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the lower portion of the refrigerantchamber, a refrigerant return pipe located through the hollow shaft and communi- \cating with the upper portion of the refrigerant `evaporator cylinder forming a crescent shaped evaporator chamber within the lower portion of the cylinder, a refrigerant supply pipe located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the lower portion of the refrigerant chamber, a refrigerant return pipe located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the upper portion of the refrigerant chamber, a brine supply pipe located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the upper portion of the brine chamber and a brine return pipe located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the lower portion of the brine chamber.-

7. An apparatus for freezing ice cubes, comprising a stationary hollow shaft, a cylindric normally stationary water jacket surrounding said shaft, a drum rotatably mounted upon the shaft within said water jacket, ice cube molds arranged in the periphery of the drum, insulation around the outer edges of said molds, an evaporator cylinder xed upon the shaft within the rotatable drum and forming a brine chamber between the exterior of the cylinder and the interior of the drum, a half cylindric wall. located in the lower portion of the evaporator cylinder forming a crescent shaped evaporator chamber within the lower portion of the cylinder, a refrigerant supply pipe located Vthrough the hollow shaft and communicating with the lower portion of the refrigerant chamber, a refrigerant return pipe located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the upper portion of the refrigerant chamber, a brine supply pipe located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the upper portion of the brine chamber and a brine return pipe located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the lower portion of the brine chamber. e

8. An apparatus for freezing ice cubes, comprising a stationary hollow shaft, a cylindric normally stationary water jacket surrounding said shaft, a drum rotatably mounted upon the shaft within said water jacket, insulation heads in said drum, ice cube molds arranged in the periphery of the drum, insulation around the outer edges of said molds, an evaporator cylinder fixed upon the shaft within the rotatable drumand forming a brine chamber ybetween the exterior of the cylinder and the interior of the drum, a half cylin.. dric wall located in the lower portion of the evaporator cylinder forming a crescent shaped evaporator chamber within the lower portion of the cylinder, a refrigerant supply pipe located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the lower portion of the refrigerant chamber, a refrigerant return pipe located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the upper portion of the refrigerant chamber, a brine supply pipe located through the hollow shaft and communicatingv with the upper portion of the brine chamber and a brine return pipe located through` the hollow shaft and communicating l with the lower portion of the brine chamber.

v9. An apparatus for freezing ice cubes comprising an insulated-"cabinet,- supporting brackets on opposite end walls `of the cabinet, a stationary hollow shaft located through the cabinet and xed to said brackets, bearings journaled upon the end portions of the shaft and located through the end walls of the cabinet, a rotatable drum mounted upon said bearings, ice cube molds arranged in the periphery of said drum,\a normally stationary, cylindric water jacket within the cabinet and surrounding the drum, an evaporator cylinder fixed upon the shaft within the drum and forming a brine chamber between the exterior of said cylinder and the interior of the drum, a refrigerant chamber in the lower part of the cylinder, refrigerant supply and return pipes located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the refrigerant chamber, brine supply and return pipes located through-the hollow shaft and communicating with the brine chamber, and means exterior to the cabinet engaging one of said bearings for rotating the drum upon the shaft.

10. An apparatus for freezing ice cubes comprising an insulated cabinet, supporting brackets on opposite end walls of the cabinet, a stationary hollow shaft located through the cabinet and fixed to said brackets, bearings journaled upon the end portions of the shaft and located through the end walls of the cabinet, a rotatable drum mounted upon said bearings, ice cube molds arranged in the periphery of said drum, a normally stationary, cylindric water jacket within the cabinet and surrounding the drum, an evaporator cylinder fixed upon the shaft within the drum and forming a brine chamber between the exterior of said cylinder and the interior of the drum,a refrigerant chamber in the lower part of the cylinder, refrigerant supply and return pipes located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the refrigerant chamber, brine supply and return pipes located through the' hollow shaft and communicating with the brine chamber, there being an opening in the upper portion of the water jacket, and means exterior A on opposite end walls of the cabinet, a stationary hollow shaft located through the cabinet and fixed to said brackets, bearings journaled upon the end portions of the shaft and located through the end walls ofthefcab'inet, a rotatable drum mounted upon said bearings,y ice cube molds arranged in the periphery of said drum, a normally stationary, cylindric waterjacket within the cabinet and surrounding the idr'um, an evaporator cylinder. fixed uponftheshaft within the drum and forming a brine chamber between vthe exl `terior of said cylinder and the interior of the drum, a refrigerant chamber in the lower part of the cylinder, refrigerant supply and return pipes located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the refrigerant chamber, brine supply and return pipes located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the brine chamber, and means exterior to the cabinet engaging one of saidbearings for rotating the drum upon the shaft, there being an opening in the upper portion of thewater jacket and means exterior of the cabinet for rotating the water jacket to position said opening at the bottom of the water jacket.

12. An apparatus for freezing ice cubes comprising an insulated cabinet, supporting brackets on opposite end walls of the cabinet, a stationary hollow shaft located through the cabinet and fixed to said brackets, bearings journaled upon the end portions of the shaft and located through the and walls of the cabinet, a rotatable drum vmounted upon said bearings, ice cube molds arranged in the periphery of said drum, a normally.

stationary, cylindric water jacket within the cabinet and surrounding the drum, an evaporator cylinder fixed upon the shaft within the drum and forming a, brine chamber between thev exterior of said'cylinder and the interior of the drum, a refrigerant chamber in the lower part of the cylinder, refrigerant supply and return pipes located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the'refrigerant chamber, brine supply and return pipes located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the brine chamber, there being an opening in the upper portion of the water jacket, and means exterior of the cabinet fcrrotating the water jacket upon its axis to position lsaid opening at the bottom of the water jacket, a perforate ice chute in the cabinet below said water jacket and a Waterl drain basin belowsaid ice chute.

i3. An apparatuslfor freezing ice cubes cornprising an insulated cabinet, supporting brackets on opposite end walls of the cabinet, a stationary hollow shaft located', through the cabin"et and fixed to said brackets, bearings journaled upon the end portions of theshaft and located through the end walls of the cabinet, a rotatable drum mounted upon said bearings, ice cube molds arranged in the periphery of said drum, a normally stationary, cylindric water jacket within the cabinet and surrounding the drum, an evaporator cylinder xed upon the shaft within the drum and forming `a brine chamber between the exterior of said cylinder andthe interior of the drum, a refrigerant chamber in the lower part of the cylinder, refrigerant supply and return pipes located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the refrigerant chamber, brine supply and return pipes located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the brine chamber, there being an opening in the upper portion of the water jacket, and, means exterior of the cabinet for rotating the water jacket upon its axis to' position said opening at the bottom of the water jacket; a perforate ice chute in the cabinet below said water jacket and a water drain basin below said ice chute, and anice cube drawer slidably mounted in the cabinet below said water drain basin.

14. An apparatus for freezing ice cubes comprising an insulated cabinet, supporting brackets on opposite end walls of the cabinet, a stationary hollow shaft located through the cabinet and xed to said brackets, bearings journaled uponA the end portions of the shaft and located through the end walls of the cabinet, a rotatable drum the water jacket, and a door in the upper portion of the cabinet arranged to register with the opening inthe water jacket, and means exterior of the cabinet for rotating the water jacket upon its axis -to position said opening at the bottom l of the water jacket.

15. An apparatus for freezing ice cubes comprising an insulated cabinet, supporting brackets on opposite end walls of the cabinet, a stationary hollow shaft located through the cabinet and f fixed to said brackets, bearings journaled upon the end portions of the shaft and located through the end walls of the cabinet, a rotatable drum having insulated heads mounted upon said bearings, ice cube molds arranged in the periphery of said drum, a normally stationary, cylindric water jacket within the cabinet and surrounding the drum, an evaporator cylinder fixed upon the mounted upon saidbearings', ice cube molds arv shaft within the drum and forming a brine chamber between 'the exterior of said cylinder and the interior of the drum, a refrigerant chamber in the lower part of-the cylinder, refrigerant supply and return pipes located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the refrigerant chamber, brine supply and return pipes located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the brine chamber, and means exterior to the cabinet engaging one of said bearings for rotating the drum upon the shaft.

16. An apparatus for freezing ice cubes comprising an insulated cabinet, supporting brackets on opposite end walls of the cabinet, a stationary hollow shaft located through the cabinet and xed to said brackets, bearings journaled upon the end portions of the shaft and located through the end walls of the cabinet, a rotatable drum mounted upon said bearings, ice cube molds arranged in the periphery of said drum, a normally stationary, cylindric water jacket within the cabinet and surrounding the drum, an evaporator cylinder fixed upon the shaft within the drum and forming a brine chamber between the exterior of said cylinder and the interior of the drum, a refrigerant chamber in the lower part of the cylinder, refrigerant supply and return Pipes located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the refrigerant chamber, brine supply and return pipes located through the hollow shaft and communicating with the brine chamber, there being an opening in the ilpper portion of the water jacket, a gear segment upon said water jacket, a pinion meshing with the gear segment, and means exterior to the cabinet for operating said pinion to rotate the water jacket upon its axis and position said opening at the bottom of the water jacket;

D. SMITH.' 

